Harvard Business School - a program for 1000 MBA students
September 6th, 2008Welcome to SeekingTrueNorth.com! Here you will find information about our book, the authors, and an interactive forum discussion about Seeking True North. Of course, if you came to buy the book, you can go directly here.
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Tim Walther and Erick Erickson
What a program! Nearly 1000 MBA Students (973 I think it was) converged in Boston to begin their 2 year MBA program at Harvard. Grand Dynamics was contracted Cradle Rock Consulting Group to deliver this program with team of nearly 100 facilitators from around the country - and world. Our team arrived over Labor Day and did an outstanding job. Hats off to Todd Walther, Holly Baade, Will Leggett and Josh Morris.
Why would HARVARD business school invest in the first day of the student experience in a program like this? Clearly Harvard understands the value of experiential learning - and the impact that programs like this have to quickly bring together the brightest business minds - as a way to kick-start their 2 year student experience. HBS utilizes a case study method, where students are analyzing business case studies together in their Learning Teams. Learning Teams are comprised of students who have expertise in a variety of disciplines - finance, marketing, consulting, sales, etc. The idea is that each perspective will provide the team with a synergistic approach which will allow students to tackle the most difficult business dilemmas. Once the Learning Teams meet and discuss the case, the independently attend their classes where they face the Cold Call. This is where the professor calls the students out and ask them their opinion on the cases.
The experiential learning program was designed to provide intensive relationship building, and lay the framework for the PROCESSES in which the team will operate. We facilitated competency maps and intensive problem solving exercises which challenged the teams to analyze and work through difficult objectives. What an amazing program, with flawless execution and delivery for nearly 1000 participants over one full day. We look forward to working with Cradle Rock and Harvard for years to come!
